I am a freshman at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama. I have been here for about 4 months and it has honestly been the craziest 4 months I have experienced. This is my quick list of what to expect when you come to college.
1: Traffic is the worst
It doesn't matter where you go to school there will always be terrible traffic. The other day it took me 20 minutes to drive a mile because it was between classes. With that being said, make sure that you are ready to walk because it will honestly be much faster than trying to drive through all of the traffic. On game days there is no where to park and since most universities consist of 2-4 lane roads, it is almost always crammed.
2: Be ready to write, and write, and write, and write some more!
When you are in high school you complain because you have to write 1-2 essays each semester. When you get to college you will miss that because EVERY ASSIGNMENT IS A WRITING ASSIGNMENT. In the 4 months that I have been here, I have already written more papers than I did in my whole 4 years of high school. The class that you will typically write the most in will be your English 101 and your English 102 classes. If you are lucky, the writing assignments are short and don't really require much research.
3. College students love sporting events
If you go to a college that is very popular for particular sporting events then be ready for crazy game days. Lots of schools in Alabama are the craziest on Saturdays because we are most known for our college football. But if you go somewhere north then it will be crazier on the weekdays during basketball season because some schools are more known for their basketball season. When you figure out what sport everyone loves, make sure to stay with the student section! That is where the fun is!
4. The freshman 15
Most colleges will make you get a meal plan. When they do you better be ready to eat! Most students start gain weight almost instantly because they feel that they have to use up all of the money on their flex cards or use all of the meals at their cafeteria. So if you start to gain weight don't sweat it, all college students go through it.
5. You will make the best friends!
I personally try to stay very involved on campus and doing so has already given me some of my best friends. In the short time that I have known them, I feel like I have known them forever. College is the place where you will make your best friends that will literally last forever, especially if you have the same major or interests as them.
6. You will miss your family
Before I came to school, I always thought, "I can't wait to get out of this town" or "my family is so annoying, I can't wait to be on my own." Well...SURPRISE! You're wrong. Moving day was the absolute worst day of my life. When you leave your driveway for the last time you will see your mother standing there watching you drive off and you will lose it. You'll call your parents about 10 times a day for the first month and you will go home much more than you think you will. Basically, while you are still living with your family, make sure that they know how much you appreciate them.
So, with all of that being said, that is my brief list on what to expect from college. I hope that if you read this, you take this advice to heart and start getting ready for the best 4-8 years of your life.
